Does car insurance cover medical bills?
Car insurance does cover medical bills. MedPay coverage is a basic option for car insurance along with liability, PIP, and uninsured/underinsured motorist. Which car insurance coverage pays your medical bills will depend on your state's laws and who is at fault in the accident.
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Jeffrey Manola
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Jeffrey Manola is an experienced life insurance agent who founded TopQuoteLifeInsurance.com and NoMedicalExamQuotes.com. His mission when creating these sites was to provide online consumers searching for life insurance with the most affordable term life insurance, permanent life insurance, no medical exam life insurance, and burial insurance. Not only does he strive to provide consumers with t...
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UPDATED: Nov 10, 2023
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UPDATED: Nov 10, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Medical payment coverage includes ambulance or EMT fees, doctor visits, hospital stays, X-rays, and more
- Personal injury protection will pay for your injuries and medical bills in a no-fault state
- If your state uses fault, the other driver’s liability insurance will pay your medical bills.
Injuries in an accident can be expensive. Does car insurance cover injuries? Yes, and there are several coverage options.
If you are not at fault in the accident, medical bills are paid by the other driver’s liability. Most states require a minimum level of car insurance coverage. In some states, personal injury protection (PIP) and MedPay (medical payments) coverage are also required. How and when do these coverages pay medical bills? We’ll help you understand.
Read on to find out how medical bills can be paid by your car insurance.
Find car insurance rates for policies that cover medical bills in your area by typing your ZIP code in the free tool above.
How does car insurance cover medical bills?
There are several coverage options to pay medical bills after an accident. Drivers are required in every state to be financially responsible for injuries they cause in an accident. If you’re not at fault and live in a tort state, the other driver’s liability insurance will pay your bills.
Read more: Does my car insurance cover my medical expenses after an accident?
If the other driver doesn’t have insurance, or doesn’t have enough insurance, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage will help.
Medical payment car insurance is another coverage that will cover any medical bills in car accidents. Along with PIP, these two coverage options pay medical bills regardless of fault. These two coverages pay medical bills in no-fault states.
Medical bills are generally covered by car insurance up to the policy limits. Anything beyond that will not be covered.
Read more: What does health insurance cover?
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How does fault affect how medical bills are paid?
There are two types of state insurance law systems. In tort, sometimes called fault, states, the driver who is at fault is responsible for medical bills. That driver’s liability insurance will pay for injuries, and the driver can be sued if they aren’t insured or don’t have enough coverage.
In no-fault states, your insurance company pays your medical bills, regardless of fault. Your PIP and MedPay coverages will pay the bills for you and anyone in your car.
Remember that even if your state has no-fault laws, someone will still be found at fault in the accident. Most no-fault states do allow lawsuits against another driver in cases of very serious accidents. You can still be held financially responsible.
How do car insurance and health insurance work together?
Your health insurance is always primary if you are in a car accident. That means that it will pay for your medical care first, and anything it doesn’t cover will fall to car insurance to pay.
This can include coinsurance, deductibles, and more. It can also include things health insurance doesn’t pay for. MedPay covers a lot of those things, including:
- Ambulance or EMT fees
- Dental procedures resulting from an accident
- Doctor visits
- Hospital stays
- Professional nursing services
- Prosthetic limbs
- Surgeries
- X-rays
The best medical payments (MedPay) car insurance companies are shown in the table below.
Car Insurance Company Average Monthly Rate
GEICO $130.08
State Farm $182,75
USAA $140.91
Top medical payments insurance companies include GEICO, State Farm, and USAA.
Case Studies: Car Insurance Coverage for Medical Bills
Case Study 1: Allstate Insurance Company – A Lifeline for Sarah’s Medical Treatment
Sarah, a 30-year-old professional, was involved in a severe car accident that resulted in multiple fractures and internal injuries. She required immediate medical attention and faced an extensive treatment plan, including surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing therapy. Fortunately, Sarah had comprehensive car insurance coverage from Allstate Insurance Company.
Allstate’s policy included personal injury protection (PIP), which covered her medical expenses regardless of fault. Sarah’s PIP coverage proved crucial in providing financial assistance for her medical bills, allowing her to focus on her recovery without worrying about the expenses incurred.
Case Study 2: GEICO Insurance – Relief for John’s Post-Accident Medical Expenses
John, a 45-year-old family man, suffered a neck and back injury after being rear-ended at a stoplight. He experienced severe pain and required extensive medical treatment, including chiropractic care and physical therapy. Thankfully, John had car insurance coverage from GEICO, which proved instrumental in covering his medical expenses.
GEICO’s bodily injury liability coverage, combined with John’s underinsured motorist coverage, helped alleviate the financial burden of his medical bills. This ensured he received the necessary treatment and focused on recovering from his injuries.
Case Study 3: State Farm Insurance – Protection for Emily’s Hospitalization Costs
Emily, a college student, was hit by an uninsured driver while crossing the street. She suffered multiple fractures and head trauma, requiring immediate hospitalization and specialized medical care. Despite the at-fault driver being uninsured, Emily’s car insurance policy with State Farm Insurance came to her rescue.
Under her uninsured motorist coverage, State Farm Insurance provided coverage for Emily’s medical bills, ensuring she received the necessary treatment without incurring significant personal expenses.
Case Study 4: Progressive Insurance – Support for David’s Long-Term Rehabilitation
David, an avid cyclist, was involved in a hit-and-run accident while commuting to work. The accident left him with severe spinal cord injuries, necessitating long-term rehabilitation and adaptive equipment. Thankfully, David had car insurance coverage from Progressive Insurance, which played a vital role in covering his extensive medical bills.
Progressive’s medical payments coverage and uninsured motorist coverage provided the financial support David needed throughout his rehabilitation journey. The coverage helped cover medical expenses, including hospital stays, surgeries, physical therapy, and necessary adaptive equipment.
Case Study 5: Farmers Insurance – Peace of Mind for Lisa’s Recovery
Lisa, a young mother, was involved in a head-on collision caused by a distracted driver. She suffered multiple fractures, internal injuries, and required extensive surgeries and rehabilitation. With car insurance coverage from Farmers Insurance, Lisa found peace of mind during her recovery process.
Farmers’ comprehensive coverage and medical payments coverage assisted Lisa in managing her medical expenses. The insurance coverage proved invaluable in ensuring she received the necessary medical care without incurring excessive financial strain.
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Car Insurance and Medical Bills: The Bottom Line
Car insurance does cover medical bills, and there are several coverage options depending on who is at fault.
Car insurance coverages that pay for your injuries, doctor visits, and co-pays, and most other related expenses include liability, MedPay, and PIP.
While your health insurance is primary, car insurance will kick in to fill any gaps and ensure you aren’t left with medical bills to pay.
To see car insurance quotes for policies that cover medical bills in your area, enter your ZIP code in the free tool below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does car insurance cover medical bills?
Yes, car insurance does cover medical bills. The coverage for medical bills is typically provided through options such as MedPay (medical payments), personal injury protection (PIP), liability insurance, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. The specific coverage that pays for your medical bills will depend on your state’s laws and who is at fault in the accident.
How does car insurance cover medical bills?
There are several coverage options to pay medical bills after an accident. If you’re not at fault and live in a tort (fault) state, the other driver’s liability insurance will pay your bills. In no-fault states, your own insurance company pays your medical bills through PIP and MedPay coverages. Medical payment car insurance is another coverage option that pays medical bills regardless of fault.
How does fault affect how medical bills are paid?
The way medical bills are paid depends on the type of state insurance law system. In tort (fault) states, the driver at fault is responsible for medical bills, and their liability insurance covers the injuries. In no-fault states, your insurance company pays your medical bills regardless of fault through PIP and MedPay coverages. However, it’s important to note that even in no-fault states, someone can still be found at fault in the accident and held financially responsible.
How do car insurance and health insurance work together?
Health insurance is considered primary if you’re in a car accident. It means that your health insurance will pay for your medical care first, and any expenses not covered by health insurance will be handled by car insurance. Car insurance, including MedPay coverage, can fill the gaps left by health insurance, covering expenses like co-pays, deductibles, and other related costs.
What car insurance coverages pay for medical bills?
Car insurance coverages that pay for injuries, doctor visits, and related medical expenses include liability insurance, MedPay (medical payments) coverage, and personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. These coverages help ensure that your medical bills are taken care of in the event of an accident.
Are you looking for free insurance quotes?
Your one-stop online insurance guide. Get free quotes now!
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Jeffrey Manola
Licensed Insurance Agent
Jeffrey Manola is an experienced life insurance agent who founded TopQuoteLifeInsurance.com and NoMedicalExamQuotes.com. His mission when creating these sites was to provide online consumers searching for life insurance with the most affordable term life insurance, permanent life insurance, no medical exam life insurance, and burial insurance. Not only does he strive to provide consumers with t...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.